500 HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY rather work than study and schools were scarce at best, his education was of the most limited nature. At the age of sixteen he worked in the Highland flour mill, and afterward assisted his father in clearing his farm about a mile southwest as well as in sawing logs for the house patterns which the father sent to Terre Haute , and chopping wood to be used in the brick manufactory.Later, he learned to make brick and to lay them. At the declaration of the Civil war Mr. Decker enlisted in Company G. Seventy—eighth Regiment. Indiana Volunteer Infantry, under Colonel Rose and Captian J. W. Sanders and was afterward attached to the Fifty—fourth Regiment and Colonel Knox's regiment and then to the Fifteenth Indiana Volunteers under Colonel Donham. While with this command he participated in the siege and surrender of Munfordsville Kentucky. September 12—14, 1862. The defending force of Union troops consisted of between 3,000 and 4,000 men, mostly raw troops, the 800 under Colonel Wilder having neither guns nor ammunition. But the order of the superior officer was to hold the place to the last: and it was held against overwhelming odds until a surrender was effected with all the honors of war. The first night of the surrender 700 or 800 succeeded in making their escape (including Mr. Decker) , but were recaptured about eight miles away and returned to the headquarters of Bragg and Butler, where the prisoners were paroled and sent to General Buell's army. They then marched through Bowling Green and thence to Brandenburg on the Ohio river in Kentucky, where they boarded the transports, crossed the river and, marching to New Albany and Jeffersonville, obtained trans- portation to Indianapolis. Following his return Mr. Decker attended school during a part of the winter of 1862, and after legal exchange enlisted in Company D. 115th Indiana Volunteer Infantry. While engaged in recruiting duty and in attendance at school he wore his uniform of blue, and during this period received a notice from the Knights of the Golden Circle (rabid sympathizers with the Confederacy) that they would hang any man wear- ing the garb of a Union soldier at their meetings. Mr. Decker and Cap- tain Sanders took the notice to Governor Alorton, who provided them with a force and gave them orders to shoot to kill, in case they were molested. This action broke up the camp of the Knights of the Golden Circle, near the old hill, Clay county, Indiana. On the 5th of Augtust, 1863, Mr. Decker re-enlisted for service, being assigned to Company D, 115th Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and was honorably dis- charged in 1864. He served as a member of the Twenty-third Army Corps from the 1st of August, 1863, until his discharge, and was under the general command of Major Generals George L. Hartstuff and Burn— side. This corps took part in the following engagements, in many of which Mr. Decker personally participated Scott’s raid, from July 25 to August 6, 1863 ; Green River Bridge, July 4, 1863 ; Morgan's raid into Kentucky, Ohio and indiana, July 2—26, 1863; Limestone Station, Ten— nessee, September 8, 1863; Cumberland Gap, Tennessee, September 7-10; Bristol, Tennessee, September 19, 1863 Carter's Station, Tennessee, Sep— tember 20-21, 1863 ; Blountsville Tennessee, September 22, 1863 ; Calhoun, Tennessee, September 26, 1863 Blue Springs, October 5, October 10, 1863 Philadelphia, October 20, October 26, 1863 Sweet Water, October 26-27, 1863 Rogersville, November 6, 1863; ; Huff’s Ferry. November 14 Marysville Loudoun Creek, Lenair Holston River, Campbell's Station,